


Not A Sound

by tellmemore



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Deaf Character, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-25
Updated: 2013-02-25
Packaged: 2017-12-03 14:36:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/699319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellmemore/pseuds/tellmemore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis first noticed it in the first week they were living together in their new apartment. </p><p>He would call for Harry from the other room, and not get a response. Whenever Louis walked into a room, and Harry’s back was towards him, it would scare the hell out of Harry when he did turn around, as if he never noticed Louis walking into the room.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not A Sound

Louis first noticed it in the first week they were living together in their new apartment. 

He would call for Harry from the other room, and not get a response. Whenever Louis walked into a room, and Harry’s back was towards him, it would scare the hell out of Harry when he did turn around, as if he never noticed Louis walking into the room. 

One evening, he came home late after having a beer with an old friend from school, and he walked into the living room. Harry was sitting on the couch watching TV, and Louis started talking to him. 

‘God,’ he groaned ‘I never expected that guy to be such an unbelievable bore.’ 

Louis ranted on about his night as he walked to the kitchen to get a drink, but when he came back into the living room Harry was still in the exact same position, stoicly watching the TV screen.

‘Harry? You ok?’ Louis asked. It wasn’t like Harry to ignore him like this.

When Harry still didn’t respond, Louis sat down next to him on the couch, intending to ask Harry what was wrong. As he sat down however, Harry yelped and scrambled away from him.

‘My god Lou! ’ he exclaimed, ‘ You nearly scared me to death!’

Louis looked at him strangely, ‘Harry, I’ve been walking around this room and talking to you for at least ten minutes now.’

Harry, who was now breathing normally again, looked down at his knees and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. As he looked up again he murmured: ‘I was watching TV. It was a good show.’

Louis sighed, ‘Mind telling me what’s actually up with you? This is the fourth time this week you have simply not heard what I said? Are you mad at me and ignoring me or something?’

Harry’s eyes widened, ‘No! No, not at all, I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately, it’s been pretty intense, with all the PR stuff and the stuff we’ve had to sign and do and I guess I just got a little distr-‘ 

Louis cut him off, ‘Hey, it’s ok, no need to get all worked up Haz, I was just a little worried about you that’s all,’ He smiled at the younger boy as he cuddled up to him on the couch. ‘I just want you to be happy.’

Harry smiled at him softly, and settled into Louis’ arms as they started watching the cartoon that was now playing on the TV.

-*- 

Looking back on it, Louis should probably have noticed that Harry made sure he was always very aware of exactly where in the apartment Louis was. He should have probably noticed that Harry made sure he never had his back towards the door of the kitchen anymore, so that every time Louis walked into the room Harry was directly aware of his presence.

But he didn’t.

He didn’t notice any of these things, so his suspicion that something was up with Harry quickly dissolved. Until two weeks later.

They had just finished a gig, and Louis and Harry walked out the backdoor of the place they’d performed at- a relatively small venue- to get some fresh air.

As Harry walked out of the alley the backdoor opened into, and out on the main street, he was so psyched about the performance that all he could do was grin at Louis and talk about how awesome it had been. He was so excited; he never even looked to the left when he was walking out on the road. 

The car honked loudly, and Harry was blinded by its headlights.

Louis only just pulled him out of the way in time.

‘Jesus, Harry!’ Louis yelled at the –now very pale- younger boy, ‘You could literally hear them coming from miles, the car radio was blaring, how the hell did that happen!’

Harry was nearly in tears at this point, and he looked at Louis with a look that broke the older boy’s heart.

‘O Haz,’ Louis whispered as he took Harry’s face between his hand, ‘you’re ok now, you’re safe, it’s ok. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.’

Harry was shaking. He whispered quietly at Louis, so quietly that the other boy could barely make out the words.

‘What?’ Louis asked, confusions evident in his voice.

‘I couldn’t hear them,’ Harry said- his voice shaking- as he locked eyes with Louis.

‘Wait,’ Louis said, his brow furrowed, ‘ I don’t understand, I mean I know you were excited and talking to me and all that, but they were pretty loud Haz.’

‘I wouldn’t know,’ Harry whispered as a quiet tear streamed down his face, ‘I haven’t heard a sound since I was six.’

Now Louis was even more confused.

‘But, what… I mean you… You’re a singer and, and-’ Louis was lost for words as he looked at Harry with confusion in his eyes.

‘I had a pretty bad accident when I was six, and I ruptured my ear drums…’ Harry whispered. ‘I read lips to get around, and the vibrations of the music are enough for me to sing. It’s a pretty great way to make music actually. I just never wanted people to pity me, so I didn’t tell anyone when I audition for X-Factor, and after that I just couldn’t anymore.’

Louis’ eyes had now filled with tears, ‘ O Haz,’ he whispered, his voice shaky, ‘You could have told me.’

Harry’s hands locked around Louis’. ‘ I wanted to,’ he answered as he stared into Louis’ eyes, ‘So badly, but I was so scared of what you would think, or say. I was afraid you wouldn’t-’

‘That I wouldn’t what Harry?’ Louis exclaimed, ‘wouldn’t want you in the band anymore? Wouldn’t want you as my friend anymore? That’s bullshit Haz and you know it! I don’t give a fuck about whether or not you can actually hear me, but I would’ve liked it if you’d actually told me!’

Harry looks up at his eyes – that was the first time Louis noticed that Harry looked at his lips when he talked- and he looked incredibly insecure as he whispered softly: ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t want to love me anymore, because I lied to you.’

Louis’ expression softened, and he smiled at Harry, tears now in his eyes. ‘Hazza,’ he said softly, ‘I could never, ever, NOT love you.’

 -*-

When Louis looks back on everything that happened, he doesn’t get why he didn’t see it earlier. He should’ve seen the first signs the very first day they met- the way Harry studied Louis’ lips when he talked, or the way he always talked very slowly, as though struggling to pronounce the words the right way. He should’ve seen the signs, but he didn’t. In a way, he’s glad he didn’t, because if he had that day in the alley would never have happened.

They wouldn’t have realized that their love was more than platonic. They wouldn’t have moved beyond friendship. Their first kiss would never have happened, and that was nothing something Louis would’ve wanted to miss.


End file.
